Expanded metal harrow



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 4.

w. E. MACK EXPANDED METAL HARROW 5 1 m 1 2. Q R z m m. 5. 3... M... 5 5w g 4 M 4 41 N vvvvvvv .6. W W 1 9 5/ 1 5/ 4. n 2 l... 2 E: .2322:2222:: 2 O$90$0 5 4 0 Q n .N. 5 n 5 n. l 1 a 4. 0 a a 7 g 2 2 2 2 2 2 J2 m. A" z 2 wN% .%&wgammwwwwwxw 6 3 0 Q 2 2 r v...... i......... m 3....a 2

Jan. 9, 1951 Filed Jan. 21, 1947 Jan. 9, 1951 w. E.. MACK 2,537,538-

EXPANDED METAL HARROW Filed Jan. 21, 1947 2 Sheets-Shet 2 INVENTORWay/79E Mack Patented Jan. 9, 1951 UNITED STATES PAT EN T OFFICEEXPANDED METAL minnow Application January 21, 1947, Serial No 723,216

18 Claims.

invention relates to harrows and particularly to narrows comprisingsheets of expanded metal provided with means through which they may bemoved over the surface of the ground to harrow the ground. The inventionprovides an. extremely simple, efficient and inexpensive harrow.

Many types of harrow for smoothing the soil have heretofore beenproposed. Such harrows have been of more or less complex constructionand hence undesirably costly or they have been lacking in efficiency. Ihave discovered that a highly useful and at. the same time simple,foolproof and rugged harrow may be made at very low cost by the use ofone or more sheets of expanded metal which may be provided with meansthrough which the sheet or sheets may be moved relatively to the groundwith a face of each sheet in contact with the ground so that strands ofthe expanded metal engage portions of the ground to displace the samerelatively to other portions.

Although expanded metal is an old and wellknown material, having beeninvented over sixty years ago, its peculiar suitability for use insmoothing the soil has never before, so far as I am aware, beenrecognized. Expanded metal is made by slitting and expanding a. metalblank. to form a foraminous metal sheet having diamond shaped openingstherein, the openings being defined by strands of generally rectangularcrosssection which are positioned with their faces inclined to the planeof the sheet and which also themselves extend at an angle to the planeof the sheet. Adjacent strands are connected together to form bonds atthe apices of the diamonds.

.I have discovered that when a sheet of expanded metal is moved over andin contact with uneven ground the strands and bonds, arranged asaforesaid, are peculiarly suitable for shearing off high spots and in acontinuous operation moving the sheared portions forwardly and laterallyinto low spots. Since the strands of the expandedv metal have theirfaces inclined to the plane of the sheet of expanded metal the forwardlyfacing edges or corners of the strands act as cutting tools to cut orshear off high spots. or clods in the soil. The clods are subjectedsuccessively to the action of successive rows of strands and hence aregradually sheared down to the desired level. The sheared off earthfollows along the inclined. strands as the harrow moves forward andfinds its way into low spotsin advance and laterally of the places wherethe high spots existed prior to harrowing.

.The arrangement of the strands in a sheet of expanded metal is suchthat each strand prowardly inclined face terminating in an edge. I findthat if. an expanded metal harrow is moved. over the surface of theground in. a direction. substantially at right angles to the longdimen-. sions of the diamonds and with the forwardly and downwardlyinclined faces of the strands leading a different effect is producedthan when. it is sents in one direction a forwardly and down wardlyinclined face terminating in an edge and in the opposite direction aforwardly and upmoved over the surface. of the ground in a direc-- tionsubstantially at right angles to the long dimensions of the diamonds andwith the forwardly and upwardly inclined faces of thestrands leading. Inthe first case they harrow acts in the nature of a series of shearblades, cutting into the clods and shearing off the tops thereof andtending hyreason of the forward and downward a inclination of theleading. faces of the strands to work itself downwardly or toward theground. In the second case the harrow actsv not so much as a shearingdevice as it acts as a smoothing device, the forwardly and upwardlyinclined leading faces of the stra'nds tending to ride up on. high spotsand push loose dirt before them. Thus Imay first move the harrow overthe ground in one direction. to reduce very rough ground to anintermediate condition of roughness 'and'I. may then move the harrowover the groundinthe opposite direction to complete the smoothing.

I find it desirable to upturn the leading edge of the harrow as thatenables it better to en counter hard clods and stones. Opposed edges maybe upturned whereby the harrow may be adapted to be moved in eitherdirection.

The barrow is provided with means. through which it may be moved overthe surface of the ground. Such means are normally disposed generally atan edge of the harrow andv may be designed to move it by pushing. orpulling- For example, a relatively small narrow may have a. handle.adapting. it for use in a flower garden or 7' small vegetable garden.'Normally, however, the

harrow will be made in larger size. and will be provided with meansthrough which it may be.

connected with drawing means whereby it. may be drawn over the surfaceof the ground. The harrow maybe drawn by horses, by a tractor or by maybe linked together in tandemor arranged side by side. When the sheetsare arranged side by side provision should be made against leaving anunharrowed path between the sheets. For example, the sheets may be drawnat an acute angle to the opposed edges thereof or another sheet may beemployed to move in a path coinciding with the path of the space betweenthe opposed edges of the first mentioned sheets.

It may be desirable to add weight to an expanded metal harrow to copewith certain conditions of the soil. This may be done by placingballast, such, for example, as field stone, upon the harrow. I find itdesirable to upturn the edge of the harrow throughout its periphery,which has the double advantage of enabling the harrow to be drawn overthe surface of the ground with any portion thereof leading and adaptingthe harrow to receive and retain ballast since with the edges upturnedthroughout the periphery of the harrow it in effect forms a ballastreceiving basket with a flat foraminous bottom.

When a harrow comprises several sheets of expanded metal arranged intandem it is preferable that the leading edge of the leading sheet beupturned and that the leading sheet be relatively short as compared withthe trailing sheet or sheets. This is because the leading sheetencounters the roughestground and hence is moved to greater angularityto the horizontal than succeeding sheets. Likewise the dimensions of thediamonds of expanded metal may be greater in the leading sheet than intrailing sheets. the expanded metal with the relatively large diamondsin the leading sheet breaking up the large clods and the expanded metalwith smaller diamonds in the trailing sheets further breaking up thesoil and smoothing it.

Other details, objects and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent as the following description of certain present preferredembodiments thereof proceeds.

.In the accompanying drawings I have shown certain present preferredembodiments of the invention, in which 7 Figure 1 is a diagrammatic viewof a harrow hitched to a tractor to be drawn thereby;

Figures 2, 3, l, 5 and 6 are, respectively, views similar to Figure 1 ofother forms of harrow but omitting the showing of the tractor;

Figure 7 is a vertical longitudinal cross-sectional View to enlargedscale through one form ofharrow;

f Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure '7 through another form ofharrow;

Figure 9 is a view similar to Figures 7- and 8 through still anotherform of harrow; and

Figure 10 is a fragmentary face view of a sheetof expanded metal such asis employed for the manufacturing of my harrow.

"Referring first to Figures 7-10, I use for the manufacture of a harrowexpanded metal as shown in Figure'lo comprising strands 2 joinedat'bon'ds 3. The expanded metal is made by slitting and expanding ametal blank. When it is expanded the strands and bonds define diamond'shaped openings 4, the strands being of generally rectangularcross-section and being disposed with their faces at an acute angle tothe plane of the sheet of expanded metal. Also thestrands extend at anangle to the plane of thesheet of expanded metal. Since expanded metalper se is very old and well-known a minute description of it is notbelieved necessary. However, as known to those skilled in the art, the

sheets of expanded metal shown are unitary and rigid and retain theirrigidity during use.

Figure 7 is a vertical longitudinal cross-sectional view through aharrow made out of a sheet 5 of expanded metal. The plane of the sectionof Figure 7 is at right angles to the long dimensions of the diamonds ofthe expanded metal. One edge of the sheet of expanded metal is upturnedas shown at B. This will be the leading edge when the harrow is in use.One or more U-clamps I is or are attached to the upturned edge 6 of theharrow, each such U- clamp receiving an eye 8 of a tractor hitch.Perforated plates 9 are disposed at the respective faces of the portion6 and nuts it] are threaded onto the legs of the U-clamp.

The harrow of Figure 7 is adapted to be drawn toward the left viewingthat figure. The strands have their leading faces H inclined forwardlyand downwardly terminating in cutting edges l2. Thus when the harrow isdrawn to the left, viewing Figure 7, the cutting edges l2 tend to slicethrough high portions of the soil, the pressure of the soil against theinclined leading faces tending to press the harrow down into the soil.Thus the respective strands of the expanded metal act as a series ofknives or cutters acting successively onthe high portions of the soil tocut them 01?. As the harrow moves forward the cut portions movelaterally along the inclined strands as well as forwardly with theharrow and find their way into low places.

Figure 8 shows a harrow l3 which is the same as the harrow of Figure 7except that the leading faces Id of the strands are inclined forwardlyand upwardly and terminate in edges 15. The harrow of Figure 8 is moreof a smoothing harrow than a cutting harrow. The forwardly and upwardlyinclined leading faces of the strands cause the harrow to tend to rideup over high spots, the harrow having a spreading and smoothing action.

At the right hand edge of Figure '7 there is shown in dotted lines at [6an upturned edge which may be provided to make out of the harrow ofFigure '7 a double ended or double duty harrow combining the functionsof the harrow of Figure '7 and that of Figure 8. If the harrow of Figure'7 be provided with the upturned end I6 and be drawn to the right itwill function as does the harrow of Figure 8.

Figure 9 shows a harrow l'i which is like the harrow of Figure '7 withthe added turned up edge Hi and additionally with turned up side edges58 forming in effect a flat bottomed foraminous basket for receiving andretaining ballast, such, for example, as field stone, to increase itsweight, which may be desirable under certain soil conditions.

Thesize of the mesh of which the harrow is constructed depends upon theconditions to be met. For ordinary farm harrowing I prefer to useexpanded metal having diamonds about 8" long. In a multiple sheet harrowthe first sheet may have diamonds about 8 long and the succeeding sheetsmay have smaller diamonds if desired. For a hand implement for use inflower gardens and the like I prefer to employ expanded metal havingdiamonds about 3" long.

Figures 1-6 show various forms of harrow which may be made according tomy invention. The harrow (9 of Figure 1 consists of a single sheet ofexpanded metal with an upturned leading edge 20. The harrow 'is shown asbeing drawn by a tractor 2| through a hitch 22. The

harrow of Figure 1 is the same as that of Figure 7 without theadditional upturned edge I6.

The harrow 23 of Figure 2 is the-same as the harrow of Figure '7 withthe upturned edge l6.

Figure 3 shows a harrow 24 comprising three sheets of expanded metal 25,26 and 21, respectively. The sheets are flexibly connected together bylinks 28 forming a tandem harrow. The leading edge 29 of the leadingsheet 25 is upturned like the leading edge -26 of the harrow IS. Theleading sheet 25 is shortest, the intermediate sheet 26 is longer andthe trailin sheet 2! is longest. This is because the leadin sheet firstattacks the relatively rough ground and can function more effectively ifit is relatively short. successively longer sheets can functionefiiciently as the ground becomes progressively smoother. The mesh ofthe sheet 25 may be relatively large, that of the intermediate-sheet maybe smaller and that of the trailing sheet 2'! may be smallest ifdesired. The sheet 25 may be a cutter like the harrow of Figure 7 andthe sheets 26 and 21, or the sheet 2? only, may be a smoother like theharrow of Figure 8. The links 28 permit the sheets 25, 26 and 21 toarticulate relatively to one another to most effectively perform theirfunctions.

Figure 4 shows a harrow 30. drawn from a bar 3| to which a tractor hitch32 is connected. The harrow 30' comp-rises two sheets 33 and 34, eachconnected to the bar 3| by two flexible connections 35. The opposededges of the sheets 33 and 34 extend at an acute angle to the bar 3| andto the direction in which the harrow is normally drawn so that nounharrowed strip is left along a path between the opposed edges.

- Figure 5 shows a harrow Se -which is like the harrow of Figure 4except that the opposed edges of the sheets 3'5 and 38 are at rightangles to the bar 39 and to the direction in which the harrow isnormally drawn. A trailing sheet 40 is connected to the sheet 3'! by alink 41 and to the sheet 38 by a link 42 to move in a path coincidingwith the path of the space between the opposed edges of the sheets 31and 38 so that an uninterrupted strip whose width is equal to thedistance between the outer edge of the sheet 31 and the outer edge ofthe sheet 38 is narrowed.

Figure 6 shows a harrow 43 which is the same as the harrow of Figure 9.g This harrow has an upturned edge 44 extending completely about itsperiphery to form a flat bottomed foraminous metal basket for receivingand retaining ballast.

While I have shown and described certain present preferred embodimentsof the invention it is to be distinctly understood that the invention isnot limited thereto but may be otherwise variously embodied within thescope of the following claims.

I claim:

l. A harrow comprising a unitary rigid sheet of expanded metalcomprising strands joined at bonds and arranged to form generallydiamond shaped openings, which sheet retains its rigidity during use,and means connected with the sheet through which the sheet may be movedrelatively to the ground with a face of the sheet in contact with theground so that strands of the expanded metal successively engageportions of the ground to progressively displace the same relatively toother portions.

2. A harrow comprising a unitary rigid sheet of expanded metalcomprising strands joined at bonds and arranged to form generallydiamond 6, shaped openings, which sheet retains its rigidity during use,and means connected with the sheet and disposed generally at an edgethereof parallel with the long dimensions of the diamonds of theexpanded metal through which the sheet may be moved relatively to theground in a direction generally parallel to the plane of the sheet andgenerally at right angles to the long dimensions of the diamonds with aface of the sheet in contact with the ground so that strands of theexpanded metal successively engage portions of the ground toprogressively displace the same relatively to other portions.

3. A harrow comprising a unitary rigid sheet of expanded metalcomprising strands joined at bonds and arranged to form generallydiamond shaped openings, which sheet retains its rigidity during use,the sheet having an upturned edge and means connected with the sheetthrough which the sheet may be moved, with the upturned edge as theleading edge, relatively to the ground with the face of the sheet awayfrom which the upturned edge is turned in contact with the ground sothat strands of the expanded metal successively engage portions of theground to progressively displace .the same relatively to other portions.

. 4. A harrow comprising a unitary rigid sheet of expanded metalcomprising strands joined at bonds and arranged to form generallydiamond shaped openings, which sheet retains its rigidity during use,the sheet having opposed edges ex. tending generally parallel with thelong dimensions of the diamonds of the expanded metal, said edges beingturned in the same direction out of the plane of the sheet, and meansconnected with the sheet through which the sheet may be moved,selectively with either of said edges as the leading edge, relatively tothe ground with the face or" the sheet away from which said edges areturned in contact with the ground so that strands of the expanded metalsuccessively engage portions of the ground to progressively displace thesame relatively to other portions.

5. A harrow comprising a plurality of unitary rigid sheets of expandedmetal comprising strands joined at bonds and arranged to form generallydiamond shaped openings, which sheets retain their rigidity during use,means flexibly connectin the sheets together and means connected with atleast one of the sheet through which the flexibly connected sheets maybe connected with drawing means whereby they may be drawn over thesurface of the ground so that strands of the expanded metal successivelyengage portions of the ground to progressively displace the samerelatively to other portions.

6. A harrow comprising a plurality of unitary rigid sheets of expandedmetal comprising strands joined at bonds and arranged to form generallydiamond shaped openings, which sheets retain their rigidity during use,the sheets being flexibly connected together in tandem, and meansconnected with an end sheet through which that sheet may be connectedwith drawing means whereby the sheets may be drawn in tandem over thesurface of the ground so that strands of the expanded metal successivelyengage portions of the ground to progressively displace the samerelatively to other portions.

7. A harrow comprising a plurality of unitary rigid sheets of expandedmetal comprising strands joined at bonds and arranged to form generallydiamond shaped openings, which sheets retain their rigidity during use,the sheets being flexibly connected together in tandem and meansconnected with an end sheet through which that sheet may be connectedwith drawin means whereby the sheets may be drawn in tandem over thesurface of the ground so that strands of the expanded metal successivelyengage portions of the ground to progressively displace the samerelatively to other portions, the leading edge of said sheet beingupturned.

8. A harrow comprising a unitary rigid sheet of expanded metalcomprising strands joined at bonds and arranged to form generallydiamond shaped openings, which sheet retains its rigidity during use,with its edges upturned throughout the periphery of the sheet to adaptthe sheet to be moved over the surface of the. ground with any portionof the sheet leading and to adapt the sheet to receive and retainballast and means connected with the sheet through which the sheet maybe moved over the surface of the ground so that strands of the expandedmetal successively engage portions of the ground to progressivelydisplace the same relatively to other portions.

9. A harrow comprising a plurality of unitary rigid sheets of expandedmetal comprising strands joined at bonds and arranged to form generallydiamond shaped openings, which sheets retain their rigidity during use,the sheets being flexibly connected together in side-by-side relation,means connected therewith through which the sheets may be connected withdrawing.

means whereby the sheets may be drawn over the surface of the ground ina direction generally parallel with the opposed edges of the sheets andanother sheet connected with two adjacent first mentioned sheets andadapted *0 when the first mentioned sheets are drawn over the surface ofthe ground as aforesaid to move in a path coinciding with the path ofthe space between the opposed edges of said two sheets, so that strandsof the expanded metal successively engage portions of the ground toprogressively displace the same relatively to other portions.

10. A harrow comprising a plurality of unitary rigid sheets of expandedmetal comprising strands joined at bonds and arranged to form generallydiamond shaped openings, which sheets retain their rigidity during use,the sheets being flexibly connected together in side-by-side relationand means connected therewith through which the sheets may be connectedwith draw- 1 ing means whereby the sheets may be drawn so that strandsof the expanded metal sucessively engage portions of the ground toprogressively displace the same relatively to other por tions.

WAYNE E. MACK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 281,221 Howe July 10, 18831,530,329 Roberts Mar. 17, 1925 1,670,602 Webber May 22, 1928 1,743,800Pearce Jan. 14, 1930 2,131,670 Redding et a1 Sept. 27, 1938 2,133,258Vass Oct. 11, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 104,942 AustraliaSept. 8, 1932

